How much paint for a 16x20 room?
3 gallons + 1 quart of wall paint covers a 16x20 room with 8 ft ceilings in two coats. That's 526 sq ft of paintable wall (after one door and two windows), needing 3.01 gallons exactly, rounded up to cans you can buy.
| Ceiling height | Wall area | One coat | Two coats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 526 sq ft | 2 gal | 3 gal + 1 qt |
| 9 ft | 598 sq ft | 2 gal | 3 gal + 2 qt |
| 10 ft | 670 sq ft | 2 gal | 4 gal |
Wall area assumes one door (20 sq ft off) and two windows (15 sq ft each off) at 350 sq ft per gallon. More openings, less paint: every extra door is 20 sq ft you don't roll. Adding the ceiling? That's 320 sq ft overhead, 2 gal of flat white for two coats.
Rooms this big are living-room and great-room territory, and they usually carry taller ceilings than the 8 ft headline number. Check the 9 and 10 ft rows in the table before buying, and consider the 3/8-inch nap upgrade to a 1/2-inch: big smooth walls roll faster with a fuller cover.
Questions people ask
Does that include the ceiling?
No, the headline is walls only. The ceiling of a 16x20 room is 320 sq ft and takes 2 gal of flat ceiling paint for two coats. It goes in the cart as its own can.
What if my walls are textured?
Figure 300 sq ft per gallon instead of 350. For this room that means 3.51 gallons for two coats, so buy 4 gal. Orange peel and knockdown drink noticeably more than smooth drywall.
What does the paint cost?
The 3 gallons + 1 quart runs about $155 in a $45 mid-grade line. The cost calculator prices budget and premium lines and the supplies kit.
Nearby sizes
Or start from the full room calculator with ceiling, trim, and primer options.